Boarding an RIB

[ffde31]

Having never dove from an RIB, what is the easiest/best method to climb back aboard after your dive?

 

[NadMat]

When I dove from a buddies zodiac, we alway shucked bcd/tanks/regs in water and tethered to boat, then kicked out of water and rolled in over side, then pulled gear in afterwards. I saw another buddy of his with a larger RHIB with an a-frame over engines that had a folddown tbar ladder attached to side of a frame that looked like it would be a nice way to get back into boat, but never got to dive from it

 

[Thalassamania]

We always removed our tanks and weighbelts and clipped them off on lines from the side of the boat. There were two ways to exit the water:

1) Facing the hull, two hands on the lines, kick hard and push yourself up, flop into the boat head-first with kind of a half roll.

2) This is easier than it sounds, but may not work if there is a lot of freeboard, we did it fine on Zodiacs of 17ft and down: face away from the hull and hold onto the lines as if you were going to do a "chin up" (that is to say palms facing you and thumbs out). Holding on to the lines all the time lift your fins up over your body and do a kind of backward somersault into the boat. Toward the very end you will need to pull up a little bit with your arms. You'll wind up kneeling in the boat facing out.

 

[NadMat]

We always removed our tanks and weighbelts and clipped them off on lines from the side of the boat. There were two ways to exit the water:

1) Facing the hull, two hands on the lines, kick hard and push yourself up, flop into the boat head-first with kind of a half roll.

2) This is easier than it sounds, but may not work if there is a lot of freeboard, we did it fine on Zodiacs of 17ft and down: face away from the hull and hold onto the lines as if you were going to do a "chin up" (that is to say palms facing you and thumbs out). Holding on to the lines all the time lift your fins up over your body and do a kind of backward somersault into the boat. Toward the very end you will need to pull up a little bit with your arms. You'll wind up kneeling in the boat facing out.

yes, #1 was how we did it, but #2 sounds like fun , gonna have to try that next time I'm out on a RIB.

 

[ffde31]

Sounds easy enough. The boat I'm looking at is too small for an A-Frame by the motor. I appreciate the reply's.

 

[Tasarsailor]

As noted above the standard practice is to at least shed your gear in the water. I then grab my rail loops with both hands, extend my arms and then give a big dolphin kick as I pull on the handles. I usually pop right up and onto my stomach over the tubes.

It is an athletic move. Others may have difficulty. I typically pull myself up first then reach over to help the others into the boat.

I hang a couple of lines over each side with caribeeners to clip the gear. My stinking integrated weight BC has velcro so once I am aboard I reach into the water and grab my weights off the BC before I drag it over the tubes. I also grab the weights from my buddies before the shed their BC's. If you have folks with weight belts you have no choice but to grab the wieght from them. (a good thing to talk about before you drop in)

I enjoy dropping my gear in the water. I also find that when I have 4 divers on board I will get my gear ready and push it overboard (bc inflated) and don the gear in the water. It's good practice anyway and on hot days it expedites the getting wet part.

Good luck

 

[V. G. McGillicuddy]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a RIB?

-McGill

 

[Tom Winters]

Having never dove from an RIB, what is the easiest/best method to climb back aboard after your dive?

Having a foil on the engine makes it a snap for your most studmuffin diver to just clamber up the motor into the boat. Then he can grab everyone's gear and just starting slinging people in over the pontoons.

 

[CuriousRambler]

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a RIB?

-McGill

Rubber Inflatable Boat, I do believe...The likes of a Zodiac.

 

[Sasquatch]

Actually, its Rigid Inflatable Boat, or RHIB is Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat.

Sea ya!

(And I want one REAL bad!)